10/19/2026
As GRIOT Circle celebrates its 30th anniversary, there's a lot to reflect on and celebrate. But there's also a great deal happening within the organization that you may not know about.
Behind the programs, gatherings, and activities that bring members together is an ongoing conversation about what people want and need as they grow older. And those conversations are helping shape the future of GRIOT Circle.
For Lisa Eddy, GRIOT's Director of Programs, listening to members is central to how the organization approaches its work. It's about understanding where people are in their lives, what interests them, what challenges they're experiencing, and how GRIOT can respond.
Some members are retired, while others continue to work. Some are looking for greater social connection, while others want opportunities to learn, travel, participate in civic life, or share their own knowledge and experiences. Many don't necessarily identify with traditional ideas about what it means to be a senior.
GRIOT is responding by looking at how, when, and where programs are offered. That includes expanding evening and weekend activities and strengthening hybrid programming so that members have more ways to participate and stay connected.
Members are bringing their own talents into the organization, leading activities such as Tai Chi and sewing. Intergenerational programs are creating opportunities for younger and older LGBTQIA+ people to exchange experiences through storytelling, poetry, performances, and community conversations.
GRIOT is also strengthening its civic engagement and advocacy work, helping members better understand issues affecting their lives and communities and giving them tools to make their voices heard.
And through partnerships with cultural institutions and community organizations, members have access to experiences that might otherwise be difficult or expensive to enjoy, from museum visits and theater performances to educational activities and group outings.
These activities reflect an approach to programming that recognizes members as partners in the life and direction of the organization.
That partnership is also helping GRIOT identify what's needed next. Members have expressed interest in more opportunities for travel, outdoor experiences, wellness activities, and practical resources that address the realities of aging. Expanding these experiences will require continued collaboration, new partnerships, and additional investment.
In 2025, GRIOT Circle offered more than 743 health, wellness, and educational activities and worked with over 25 community partners. But perhaps one of the most meaningful measures of its impact comes from the members themselves: more than 81% of those surveyed said GRIOT helps them remain active and engaged with others rather than feeling isolated.
As GRIOT enters its next chapter under Executive Director Aundaray Guess's leadership, the organization is building on 30 years of relationships, trust, and community knowledge.
And at the center of that work is that GRIOT's members aren't simply receiving services. They're helping determine what those services, programs, and experiences should look like.
That's how GRIOT Circle continues to grow, by listening to its community and building its future together.
